Northrop Grumman Corp. has set a goal of achieving net zero greenhouse gas emissions in its operations by 2035. The company has locations in Huntsville that work on a number of military and space-based programs.
For more than a decade, Northrop Grumman has worked to reduce its carbon footprint by 30%. The company plans to push this reduction in greenhouse gas emissions even further by expanding its on-site solar opportunities and incentivizing operations-related emission reductions through the company’s non-financial metrics.
In 2021, the company implemented 75 GHG and energy reduction projects, which are expected to reduce 7,110 MT of CO2e annually; invested in new HVAC equipment and completed 36 LED lighting upgrades at its facilities. Due to these projects and changes, the company saw a 3.4% decrease in total emissions over its 2019 performance, although it increased its emissions over 2020 by 5.2%. The increase from 2020 to 2021 was a result of employees returning to work after working from home due to COVID-19 during most of 2020 and the implementation of COVID-19 operating procedures.
“Climate change presents a real threat. Increased natural disasters, population displacements and conflicts over essential resources like food and water impact us all,” said Kathy Warden, chair, CEO and president of Northrop Grumman.
The company has released its sustainability report, which details its new efforts to achieve net zero emissions. Among them are:
- Water conservation measures in drought-prone states, like California, resulting in a 12 million-gallon reduction in water withdrawals.
- Expanding programs like the Mission Extension Vehicles, which makes spacecraft reusable, and Tech for Conservation, which pairs Northrop Grumman engineers with conservationists in need of technological solutions to ecosystem challenges.
- Preparing for the electric transition of Northrop Grumman’s vehicle fleet by investing in dedicated charging stations. In 2021, the company saw a 32% increase in its Electric Vehicle Workplace Charging Program.
- Expanding current on-site solar arrays at its facilities. The company has completed its installation of its newest 1.1-megawatt solar power-generating system at Rolling Meadows, Illinois, and is developing a 62.5 megawatt solar facility in Orange County, Virginia, with Dominion Energy.
